By Tooth and Claw
by brattyteenagewerewolf
Summary: Hair of the Dog side story. The werewolves of the Nordic pack were always dysfunctional, of that no-one contested. But centuries of them living together has at least allowed them to accumulate multiple stories in regards to the scars left upon them. From being flung out a window to being shot to being hit by a car, these are their stories. Request from Roseflame44. werewolf AU
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: And we return to the Nordics as they share bit more about their pasts! Namely the worst injuries they've ever received (including Matthias' head shot) so expect a lot of humour from this dysfunctional family! Roseflame44 requested this so here it finally is!**

**This was going to be a one-shot but look at the word length already… So for this chapter we'll cover Emil (with some past SuIce) and I'll just do five or so chapters with one for each of them. **

_Honour your brother's name, unarmed or blind_

_Let me aid you in your aim, don't stay behind_

_Let's maim immortality and death to a deity_

_There's no reason to defend, nothing can harm him_

_Let's say it's just pretend, extend your arm and_

_Bend now this fatal bow and mark with this mistletoe_

_Your brother's bane_

_My greed and gain_

_Your brother's bane_

_My greed and gain_

_Brother's Bane- Tyr_

"Get him Emil! Show him whose boss!"

"Get him Mom!"

"You can do it babe!"

The white furred wolf paused in his assault to snarl at the nickname, baring his teeth at the Asian man he considered his mate. Not that Kaoru seemed to think anything of it, merely cheering him on some more as Emil was forced to turn back to Tino as the slightly shorter wolf charged him once more. As far as spectators went Matthias, Peter and Kaoru were far from silent, getting almost as into the fight as the two wolves were. In comparison Lukas and Berwald were silent; they were rooting on the pair as well but were content to do so quietly. The Norwegian would smirk slightly every time Emil got a bite in while Berwald would give a half smile whenever Tino succeeded as one of the two people supporting the Finnish wolf.

If Tino cared about his own teasing nickname he didn't show it, panting slightly as he circled the more experienced Emil who merely watched his every move impatiently. Patience was Lukas' strong point, not that of the teen who may as well have been his brother. Thankfully it wasn't Tino's strong point either making the pair fairly evenly matched sparring partners.

Even size-wise they were a good match. Emil may have had some height on Tino but Tino had a bit more weight on him that evened the odds a bit. It was easy to see that as the darker wolf charged, both wolves rearing up on their hind legs to claw and bite at one another in the hopes of bringing him down. A sharp nip to Tino's shoulder was enough to make them leap apart once more to look for a better opening.

Despite the ferocity of their attacks there was no aggression in either of them, if anything they seemed to be enjoying themselves as they got a chance to test one another and stretch their muscles. It was obvious how much had changed in the past months just by that.

Once upon a time Tino would have rather ran than fight, let alone actually enjoy fighting but now he thought nothing of the small cuts gracing his and Emil's bodies and merely enjoyed the adrenaline of the fight. He was more confident now, more comfortable with his lot in life. Yes he missed his family but his new family had proven to be just as, if not more, enjoyable to be around. Once Lukas had opened up to his presence he'd discovered that he was an enjoyable person to be around and the two had become fast friends. Emil may have been more distant but he too proved just as great a friend once Kaoru pulled him out of his shell a bit more (the Asian was a slight trouble maker they soon learnt if the fireworks that almost burnt one of their Danish abodes down whilst also scaring Lukas out of his wits when he accidentally set them off was anything to go by) and he was definitely Tino's favourite sparring partner.

Then there was Matthias. Lukas wasn't quite so keen on the relationship Tino had with the Dane no matter how much the Finn liked him. It wasn't the relationship that bothered him but the aftermath seeing as the pair had a habit of drinking themselves into oblivion at least once a week and the last time it had happened it had resulted in Berwald having to rescue the Finn from a tree after a dare had gotten the drunk man stuck in the uppermost branches of a massive oak tree. The two almost certainly got into more trouble than even Kaoru and considering the Asian seemed to love messing with not only his mate but Lukas (certainly two of the more volatile members of the pack) that was saying something.

But it was his relationship with Berwald that was the best; in fact, Tino had no idea why he'd denied it for so long now that his mind had caught up with his instincts. He half envied Kaoru and Emil who had decided to just give in to instinct without a second thought (they'd have the time to get to know each other they figured or at least tried to justify) but at the same time he guessed that forcing his instincts to wait until he'd gotten to know the man better suited him better. After all, just falling into bed with someone he loved but didn't know why he loved would have been embarrassing.

No it was better like this, he mused. After getting to know Berwald properly he could justify how he felt with ease.

His thoughts were interrupted by Emil's snort as the white wolf clipped his flank. _Focus Tino, you're making this too easy for me!_ He taunted, twisting with almost feline grace to dodge the retaliating snap. Tino couldn't help but notice that that particular fighting style was much like Kaoru's who favoured his speed over physical strength which was probably good for him seeing as his new pack mates had a fair amount more height and weight on them than he did. The Asian preferred running in and then retreating when sparring unlike say Matthias who used brute strength to hound his opponent. It seemed Emil was learning a thing or two from him.

But then again Emil wasn't the only one who could learn a new trick or two Tino mused with a grin; tail wagging slightly as he braced himself for the next attack. He watched eagerly as the Icelandic wolf charged him again, barely moving a muscle until he was right on him. Maybe he was getting a bit too into it as he dropped down and snapped at Emil's hind legs but the wolf's startled yelp as he lost his footing sent a thrill through him. He was glad it had worked seeing as Berwald's methods of making his opponents lose their balance was typically used on smaller opponents who thus had a lower centre of gravity than he did.

Despite Emil being slightly taller than his sparring partner it still did the trick, the wolf yelping as he tried to dodge the bite and only ended tripping himself up. His fast attacks may have worked well against Tino but now they worked against him as he tumbled over. The Finn yipped excitedly as he pounced to pin the wolf down, his excitement over his triumph tangible as his jaws closed on Emil's fore leg with a bit too much exuberance.

The wolf couldn't help but cry out as a loud crack filled the air. 

.o.)O(.o. 

"I really am sorry! I didn't mean to break your arm I swear! I just got a bit too into it and then I just- please forgive me! Don't hate me forever!" Tino rambled as Emil hissed in pain.

"Relax Tino, I've had- what the hell did they teach you in medical school Lukas?! Are you trying to give me another break?!" Emil snapped, yelping as the Norwegian worked the break so that the two pieces would line up and heal somewhat neatly. Thankfully the break hadn't been bad from what Lukas could feel; Tino's jaws had at least produced a clean break of the Icelandic teen's tibia without too much other damage. Of course shifting back hadn't helped and had allowed the broken piece to move out of place.

"You were the one who didn't want to be knocked out for it." The Norwegian put bluntly as he felt the break slip into place. Thankfully they healed quickly so pins wouldn't be necessary so long as Emil didn't use his arm for a few days. Of course that didn't mean he was going to risk the bone shifting before it could heal neatly... "Now don't move." He ordered, not releasing the limb as he grabbed one of Berwald's rulers that he used for whenever he designed projects to make in the future and lay it along his arm. Thankfully bandaging was easy to find at all of their abodes (it was needed more often than any of them cared to admit) so he was soon wrapping the limb up against the make shift splint with practiced hands.

"Medical school?" Tino questioned when it became obvious that no-one thought anything of the statement. "You mean you actually HAVE a medical degree?" Lukas didn't even look up from where he was checking that the bandage was tight enough (but not too tight).

"Ja Tino, I do. Studied medicine in the 80's to try and limit hospital trips. It made a nice change." Lukas shrugged before ordering Emil to avoid using that arm for a few days even as the teen rolled his eyes.

Tino just blinked, looking rather stunned at the rather bored admittance. To him a medical degree sounded impressive (hell, any degree sounded impressive) but Lukas spoke of it as though it was nothing. Matthias merely laughed at his confusion though as the Norwegian packed up the medical kit.

"What's so strange about it, Tino? Never heard of someone having a university degree before?" He grinned, pulling Lukas down to sit beside him (the man grumbled under his breath but otherwise complied seeing as they were all sitting around anyway). "We all have one or two! It gets boring sitting around here!"

"Not to mention it gives us time away from this idiot." Lukas stated, jerking his thumb in his mate's direction even as he settled against him.

Tino just glanced at Berwald incredulously, not sure he believed it. The man just gave a small smile, running his thumb across one of the Finn's wounds from earlier affectionately (making Peter pull a slight face at the display). "He's righ'. Ah studie' design a decade ago. Matthias has a business degree 'nd did a few shor' courses across a few areas. Emil studie' linguis'ics 'nd Lukas..." He trailed off, glancing at the man who sighed.

"I've studied medicine, music, archaeology specialising in Scandinavian history, literature and I did linguistics the same time Emil did." Lukas explained, ticking them off on his fingers and merely shrugging when Tino gaped at him. He didn't really feel like going into why he'd chosen to study so much more than his pack mates had, certain that the fact that he simply enjoyed learning wouldn't be believed. And why would it? Tino had been born in an era when education was the norm not a privilege. "The medical degree was a bit of a necessity. People were starting to ask questions every time one of us needed to go in. I can't do much here without the proper equipment but I can handle most of our injuries and provided bones aren't shattered I can even set a broken bone. Once had the tools necessary to fix up some internal damage as well."

"You've had injuries WORSE than that enough to warrant it?" Tino asked wide eyed. He didn't know why he sounded so shocked, hadn't Matthias admitted to being shot multiple times the very first day he'd met him? His own wounds (nothing major, just a few shallow cuts and grazes since they had tried to hold back) spoke of the violent lifestyle they led and he had his own set of scars to back it up. He couldn't help but scratch at the scars across his throat, courtesy of a silver chain he remembered, as they itched at the thought.

Emil snorted, shoving Kaoru away absentmindedly as the Asian wrapped an arm around his waist fondly. "Didn't you hear me when I said that I'd had worse than this?" He pointed out, raising his bound arm with a wince before scolding his mate when Kaoru held him tighter out of concern. He may have looked young but he was more than capable of looking after himself.

"What was worse than breaking a bone?"

Emil shrugged before glaring at Lukas. "Lukas pushing me out a second story window."

Tino blinked in shock, unable to think of any justification for such an occurrence as he gaped soundlessly. Matthias laughed loudly, clapping his hands together.

"We gonna have a show and tell session are we? Think this calls for some drinks!" 

.o.)O(.o. 

It took a bit of time (half an hour to be exact) to get the drinks sorted seeing as Matthias argued for beer to be served whilst Lukas pushed for coffee seeing as it was barely lunch time and it took a while for a compromise to be reached (coffee first then alcohol) which at least allowed Emil to grudgingly admit to Kaoru's questioning that he would indeed not mind a pain killer along with allowing Berwald to make up a few sandwiches seeing as Peter complained of being hungry which was soon echoed by Matthias and Tino. Eventually though they managed to once more be seated in the lounge (Lukas groaning when he noticed a few more blood stains on the couch and muttering that next time they'd get a darker couch to hide potential blood stains), coffee (tea for Kaoru and peter, neither of whom were all that keen on coffee) and sandwiches in hand.

Emil sighed contently as he sipped the coffee, setting it aside before letting his gaze fall on Tino (whilst ignoring Kaoru who had decided to sprawl himself across his lap). "So you want to know why Lukas pushed me out the window, do you?" He questioned, ignoring Lukas who looked slightly sheepish despite his usual controlled demeanour and Berwald who suddenly looked a tad uncomfortable.

Tino nodded, frowning slightly at his mate's unease as he ran a thumb across their joined hands. "Joo, it doesn't sound like something Lukas would do." To Matthias maybe but to Emil? Not so much.

Emil chuckled; face softening slightly even as he remembered. "Well, to be fair he wasn't aiming to throw me out the window... Berwald however..." The swede was now refusing to look at anyone. A slight blush gracing his cheeks much to Tino's surprise. Even Peter smirked at the sight, a bit of teenage arrogance showing despite him only appearing twelve physically.

"What the hell did you do to piss Lukas off? I, like, thought the two of you got along!" Kaoru grinned, also amused by the sight.

Lukas however didn't look so amused, glaring threateningly at the Asian. "I caught him sleeping with my little brother." He forced out. Berwald looked like he wanted to sink through the floor even as Emil muttered something along the lines of 'not my brother' under his breath.

As for Tino, he was just shocked. He stared between Berwald and Emil in surprise. "You two... Slept together?" He questioned, feeling a pang of jealousy despite the ridiculousness of it.

Berwald may have been mortified but Emil wasn't, merely snorting despite Kaoru's pout at the news. "Yes Tino, we did. Relax though; it was before you were even born. What was it, the forties Ber?"

"Ja..."

Emil shrugged, hand running through Kaoru's hair reassuringly (the kicked puppy look was getting to him). "Neither of us meant anything with it. We were just bored and lonely... One thing led to another..." Now he started to blush, coughing slightly to hide the fact as he tried to skimp over the details.

"And you decided to do each other against the wall." Matthias smirked, laughing when Emil went bright red. Berwald was already hiding his face. "Loudly might I add!"

"Like you can talk!" Emil snapped as everyone bar Lukas, Berwald and himself burst into laughter. "Anyway! Yes! ...that... Happened and-"

"Lukas heard you and got curious."

"Do you want to tell the story instead?" Emil hissed, glaring at Matthias who raised his hands defensively and grinned apologetically. "Ja, Lukas heard and came to investigate only to find Berwald-"

"Doing ya against the wall!"

"MATTHIAS!"

"Sorry! Sorry!" 

1943- Stockholm, Sweden

Emil wasn't one for outbursts. Yes he had a slight temper and all but when it came down to everyday displays of what he was feeling he considered himself just as capable as Lukas of keeping an emotionless façade. Which was why he was beginning to grow slightly annoyed with the concern being cast his way by not one, not two but all three of his pack mates.

"You're looking a bit red. You're not getting sick are you?"

"No Lukas I am not." He forced out, glaring at the Norwegian as he bit back a few choice words. Lukas knew as well as he did that getting sick seemed to be an impossibility, he hadn't had a cold in years and unless one of them got badly, takes days to heal, injured even fevers were practically unheard of.

"You're blushing about something! Spill it! Who is it? The milk maid?"

"What the hell Matthias?! She's twice my age!"

"Hey, whatever you're into!"

Emil spluttered at the accusation, lost for words as the Dane grinned teasingly. Lukas too was smirking slightly, obviously sure that the milk maid was not the cause for his self-proclaimed brother's reddened face. Had he believed it for a moment Emil was sure the milk maid in question would either move cities or die of a heart attack due to how protective the Norwegian could get. He wished he was kidding as well, the last time he'd shown interest in anyone they'd quickly gone on to accuse him of setting a mad dog on them when he'd been forced to lie about Lukas being his dog ('no he's not a wolf! His mom was a sled dog!') and he'd gone from acting like a common pet to chasing the poor girl up the road like a rabid beast.

Thankfully Berwald came to his rescue, apparently taking pity on him as he sighed and fixed his glasses. "Leave him Matthias; ah think ya have embarrassed him enough."

"Thank you!" Emil groaned, coughing slightly as he tried to hide the way he darkened even more.

"He migh' prefer guys."

"C'mon Berwald!" the Icelandic teen spluttered, choking on a sip of coffee. He was glad that his coughing fit distracted Lukas though seeing as even his ears were going red when he caught Berwald give a tiny smile.

.o.)O(.o.

It wasn't the accusation of preferring guys that bothered Emil, not at all he mused as he entertained himself by aimlessly doodling on a scrap of paper. After all he'd been around Lukas and Matthias long enough to have been completely desensitised to the idea of being with another male seeing as the pair weren't the most subtle (Lukas may have preferred to keep his relationship less obvious but asking Matthias to was like asking him to start breathing underwater, not going to happen). Hell, he'd even been with a guy before when frustration (and some curiosity) had gotten too much to take so it would be ridiculous for him to get offended.

Accusation aside though it didn't change the fact that Emil was a male, a male stuck with the body of a seventeen year old teen whose overbearing pack mate seemed intent on ensuring he never so much as gazed at potential partners. To say it annoyed him was putting it lightly, no-one batted an eyelid when Matthias and Lukas enjoyed some alone time and although Berwald was mocked and teased (three guesses who by) whenever he did a walk of shame he too was more than welcome to it without judgement or interference.

Heaven forbid he try anything of that nature… His prospective partners all found themselves chased off if Lukas caught wind of it.

He sighed, frowning as the tip of his pencil snapped and left an ugly line through the small puffin he been rendering (or trying to render at least, looked more like a duck in his opinion). How long had it been since he'd bedded anyone? He'd lost count. He had an idea for getting around Lukas but at the same time the idea itself was almost as bad as the alternative of handling it himself… His frown deepened as he scrunched the scrap of paper up into a ball and lobbed it into a nearby trash can and chanced a glance out the corner of his eye at his potential method for getting around Lukas' meddling.

Berwald seemed a bit out of it, unaware of his surroundings as he flipped through the pages of some book (don't ask him what book, sometimes he questioned whether they had anything but books). He seemed a lot less intimidating when he read, his usual unintentional glare softening as he lost himself in the words in front of him. Of course the Swede could be smiling broadly due to being surrounded by hundreds of fluffy kittens (…scary thought) and this would still be a nerve-wracking topic to breach.

Lukas could easily scare off most mortals in either form (a human Lukas with a vengeance could be more terrifying than a snarling wolf) but what of those who weren't mortal? Berwald didn't scare easily and he was more than capable in regards to fighting. Not to mention that he too had to be feeling the effects of a slight dry spell considering Emil hadn't seen him leave the house in days.

Once you got past his glare and imposing figure he also wasn't bad looking he supposed. His features weren't as sharp as say Lukas', more rugged he supposed. His hair was messy but not as much as Matthias' which often looked as though it hadn't been brushed. The choppy hair cut suited the man Emil mused, accenting the hard line of his jaw and if possible softening it.

It went beyond his face as well, his body may have been covered up with a form fitting jersey but Emil had seen it often enough between shifts. Berwald wasn't as lean as he was; his strength was far more obvious with more sculpted muscles much like Matthias. His body wasn't perfect, none of them had been gifted with that courtesy of the lives they led (and who was perfect anyway?) but it was certainly what one could call attractive.

Berwald seemed to sense his gaze, looking up to meet his eyes. "Hmmm?" he grunted, not bothering with words as Emil flushed at the idea of being caught. He raised an eyebrow slightly as he waited for whatever it was the teen wished to say, neither needing to speak per say to know that much.

Emil coughed nervously as the Swede continued to watch him. "I was just wondering… What do you think of relations between pack members who aren't mates?"

Relations? Really? He couldn't phrase it any other way?

Berwald blinked in surprise at the question. "Relations?"

"Ja, say Matthias and Lukas sleeping together if they weren't mates and just in the same pack." He offered, relieved that neither of the aforementioned pair were around. God knew the teasing he'd get from it…

Berwald shrugged. "Ah see nothin' wrong with it so long as both are willin'."

"So you would be willing to sleep with someone in your pack even if they weren't your mate?" Emil forced out, feeling slightly mortified by raising the question. Thankfully Berwald didn't comment on his embarrassment, in fact his own cheeks seemed to have a slight pinkish tinge now.

"Well ah've done it before so ja ah would if it was jus' fer me 'nd my partner ta find relief…" He admitted, glancing away in what seemed to be embarrassment. Emil could just stare wide-eyed, his own embarrassment forgotten.

"You… and Matthias?!"

"…ja."

"I see…"

Well that was an image he'd rather not think of again… He'd walked in on Lukas and Matthias a fair amount (sadly a normal occurrence) but trying to imagine BERWALD and Matthias... That was something else.

"Why do ya ask?"

Emil looked up at the question, both of their faces still looking a tad pink from the awkwardness of the conversation. "Eh?"

"Why do ya ask? About… that?"

Ah. Here it went he guessed…

.o.)O(.o.

"So how about it? Lukas is out after all…" Emil forced out, impressed that he didn't stutter as Berwald looked thoughtful. That was an awkward conversation he didn't want to repeat again anytime soon, almost as bad as explaining to Lukas and Matthias that it didn't matter if it closer to the front door, his bed was NOT a suitable spot for having sex…

Berwald seemed slightly better at hiding his emotions over this, lips pursed as he considered the offer. "So ya weren' sick, ya were jus' a bit randy?"

"Do you have to put it like that?! Have you been hanging out with Matthias too much or something?!" Emil questioned before nodding when Berwald raised an eyebrow. Was it slightly humiliating to admit? More than slightly. But it was growing ridiculous now! Lukas could deny it all he wanted but for Christ's sake he had needs!

The Swede continued looking thoughtful as he considered it. On one hand he viewed Emil as a younger sibling of sorts (but to be fair he also considered Matthias to be a brother so it was moot point) but he could understand how the teen felt. He hadn't even bothered going to town to handle his own needs recently after getting tired of the reception his face received.

"You know what? Never mind, this is stupid… Just forget I asked." Emil grumbled, turning away as he stood. He wasn't even sure what had possessed him to make the offer… He paused though when he felt a hand on his wrist, grip tight and forcing him to turn around to look the taller man in the eye. He wasn't given a chance to speak, a rough kiss cutting him off before he could even try.

Not that Emil complained mind you once he got over his surprise, he had asked for this after all and he was more than happy to return the kiss as he laid the hand not bound on the Swede's shoulder to hold him there. He may not have been used to such aggression from his partner but he relished it now, gasping as his lip was nipped.

"This doesn't mean anything right?" He forced out, pulling away to push Berwald jersey and shirt (oops… those buttons would need to be sewn back on…) out the way and cast them aside. He cared not for foreplay, impatiently wanting to get into it as soon as possible. Hell he didn't even care that they were in the lounge where Lukas could walk in at any moment.

"Nej." Berwald grunted, returning the favour so that Emil's shirt soon joined his before he returned to their rough kissing. Whereas the Icelandic wolf may not have minded remaining where they were he had a little more sense, pushing him back with the intent of getting up the stairs (somehow) and into the first available room.

"Good."

.o.)O(.o.

Of all the household chores Lukas hated shopping the most. It was tedious, it was annoying, and it always led to Matthias deciding to follow him like a lost puppy. Though to be fair that did help with transporting everything back… A trip to the butcher already left him overladen let alone going to the green grocer and anywhere else he needed to go.

He was thankful though that they did shopping in turns as they did with most of the chores. At least he wouldn't have to worry about it for a few weeks.

"Hopefully Emil hasn't torn the house down in our absence!" Matthias chuckled, balancing the paper bag in his arms a bit better as he grabbed the key from his pocket.

Lukas merely rolled his eyes. "This is Emil we're talking about. He isn't the house tearing down sort unlike you." He pointed out, slipping into the house when the Dane held the door for him and immediately setting his share of the groceries down on the table. "Speaking of, where is he?" he mused, noting the teen's absence. Berwald was less of a concern in his opinion, the man more than capable of handling himself.

Matthias merely shrugged, stretching his fingers once the groceries were all safely on the table. He smirked though when he glanced around the room, letting out a chuckle as he immediately recognised the white button up and the navy jersey on the floor. "I think I can guess!"

Lukas didn't need to question him as he saw the discarded clothes. Even had he not seen them a few loud curses and grunts wafting down from upstairs soon told him exactly what was going on as he saw red. Not on his life was he going to allow THAT to happen, his friendship to Berwald not mattering as he considering what was happening just several feet away. Matthias didn't have a chance to stop him as he stiffened and raced upstairs with every intent of tearing Berwald apart.

His anger only grew as he shoved the door out of the way and startled the pair inside seeing as both were practically naked, skin flush against each other as Emil was pressed against the wall. They flushed at the intrusion, separating for a moment as Emil stammered and tried to explain but it did nothing to soothe the Norwegian.

Oh no, he wanted blood.

.o.)O(.o.

Present Day

Emil frowned, pushing his hair back in embarrassment. "Well, he startled us bursting in like that... And he didn't exactly give us time to explain-"

"You walk in on your friend screwing your brother and see how you take it!" Lukas growled, still glaring at Kaoru (who just ignored it). He'd sorted out his differences with Berwald years ago whilst the Asian was the newest threat to his brother (regardless of being Emil's mate) in his opinion.

"I do so on a weekly basis thank you very much!" Emil snapped before going even darker in colour. "Not that you're my brother damn it!" He huffed, shaking his head. "In short, Lukas was pissed and charged at Berwald, Berwald was quick enough to dodge and I got hit instead and shoved out a closed second story window."

"Not my fault..."

"You broke my hip! And cracked three ribs! And broke my leg! And fractured one of my vertebra! Do you want me to go into the cuts and bruises as well?!"

"Still not my fault. I took you to the hospital didn't I?"

"Doesn't mean anything when you're the one who put me there in the first place!"

"Okay! Take it easy you two!" Matthias laughed, lightly holding Lukas' wrist to keep him from rising. "Yes Emil screwed Berwald but that's not really an achievement." He said, winking at the swede in question who now looked like he wanted to forgo sinking into the floor and just die (too embarrassed to even shout with the Dane). Lukas scowled, grabbing Matthias' collar and all but choking him as Tino laughed nervously, gently patting Berwald on the back as he realised the implication.

Looks like Emil wasn't the only person other than himself to have slept with his mate... 

**A/N2: Brotherly love :) and yes, Lukas is a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to Emil. Next up is Lukas!**

**Review rely for HotD (bit of a long shot but I'll try regardless)**

**VampireWolf: Glad you enjoyed it and thought everyone was in character! I had a bit of trouble at the start with some of them so I'm glad you think otherwise! Thanks for the long review, it was awesome to read! Sadly the link to your dA account got deleted so I couldn't reply (much to my annoyance… I love replying to the reviews I receive since I treasure each and every one) but I'll try here! Long shot but I tried! I actually hate the fact I killed Romania as well… I love his character as well but sadly this fic took off without me and before I knew it his death was inevitable… Thanks for the long review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Lukas' turn to share! Apologies for taking so long… this was half done days ago but I got distracted… house hunting, babysitting my friends/housemates so that they don't starve to death etc. enjoy! Next on my to do list is to finish Every Dog!**

**Now to go pick up a microwave…**

_Our ways unchanged for centuries do dismay  
concrete hearts  
Wake emotions perfect for his confidence tricks  
And though we may be human we are still animals  
Weakling of the food chain, the only way  
that I see is to_

Curse the weak link, What's out  
Come your down fall, Lights out  
May your ship sink, Rainbow Warrior floats  
no more, there are no Lights on  
That obtrusive creep all, What's on

_Rainbow Warrior- Tyr_

It took a few moments for everyone to calm down once more; Emil being the main issue considering his temper though Berwald also needed a moment to lose his embarrassment over the whole thing. But calm down (somewhat) they did even if Lukas still tossed glares at Kaoru every so often which was nothing new really. If Matthias noticed the slightly aggravated atmosphere he gave no sign of it, merely grinning as he took a sip of his beer, feet propped up on the coffee table.

"Matthias, ah told ya ta keep yer fee' off the table." Berwald grumbled with a pointed glance at the offending limbs.

The Dane just rolled his eyes, his smirk saying 'try to make me' as he kept his feet exactly where they were. "Ja ja Ber, whatever ya say. Now who's next? What about you babe?"

The Norwegian jabbed an elbow into Matthias' gut at the name but otherwise didn't say anything about it. Instead he looked thoughtful as though considering what to say before sighing and nodding as though he would deign to join in such a task if he was so pressed.

His fingers worked at the hem of his shirt, the Norwegian sitting forward slightly as he lifted the material out the way. Tino expected him to twist his torso to display what he supposed had to be the worst of the scars he bore, the two jagged wounds that spanned his back. He'd questioned Lukas about them but the man had just shrugged and said it was a mistake on his part, a magical mishap and nothing more before falling silent. The Finn was curious but if the man didn't want to speak about it then he supposed it was best not to pry.

He didn't though; instead Lukas only raised his shirt to part-way up his chest before pointing at a small scar on his ribcage, perhaps two finger widths beneath his heart. It was small enough that it could have easily been missed, merely a pale indenture in his skin the size of a small coin at best. Tino blinked in confusion, unsure of why such a wound could have been considered a bad one.

"Doesn't look like much does it?" Lukas mused, allowing his shirt to fall back into place as he met Tino's gaze.

"Not really... Looks like a paper cut in comparison to some of the other ones."  
The Norwegian shrugged. "From the outside I suppose... Most of the damage caused there was internal though. For the record, your mate's aim is awful..."

Matthias chuckled at the indignant look on Berwald's face at Lukas' accusation. Emil was smirking, obviously amused by Tino's horrified look in such contrast to the Norwegian's cool indifference. Kaoru and Peter shared a look that just said that they were questioning their pack's sanity.

"My aim isn' awful... I hi' ya didn' ah?"

"Ja but there is a massive difference between me and a wild boar." 

.o.)O(.o. 

1806 AD, Northern Finland

"I thought you were kidding."

"Nej? Why woul' ah be?"

Lukas shrugged, eyebrow still raised as he ran long fingers along the smooth curve of the bow the swede held. It was nicely made sure but a far cry from the staff the man normally wielded; even a sword would have been something closer rather than a ranged weapon like this. "It's not really your style."

"None of us really like ta use range' weapons so ah though' it migh' be a good idea."

Berwald had a point there. Matthias favoured a war axe, himself a mace while the swede had always enjoyed the feel of a staff when teeth and claws weren't enough to defend themselves with. When it came to distance fighting none of them were well prepared though. But to have BERWALD being the one who could shoot? His eyesight wasn't brilliant after all...

"Can you even shoot that thing?" Lukas questioned, tone blunt. A stranger might think him rude for questioning it but Berwald had been around Lukas long enough to know that he didn't mean to come across as rude. That was just the way he was.

He nodded. "Ja, been shootin' at a targe' fer a week now."

"Successfully?"

"Ja." He considered six times out of every ten shots successful at least. It was good enough for a beginner and he had had some practice with a bow before even if that had been decades ago.

"So what do you need me for?"

"Ah want ta practice on a movin' targe'."

Lukas raised an eyebrow, handing the weapon back. "A moving target? And here I thought we got along..." He mused, voice sarcastic.

"Not ya. Ah want ya ta herd somethin' so ah can practice. Lot of wildlife aroun' here." Berwald was so used to the Norwegian's dry sarcasm that he didn't even bat an eyelid.

"And Matthias can't do this because?"

"Because he's Matthias."

That was enough of an excuse Lukas supposed, the man would probably use it as an excuse to mess with Berwald by either herding some tiny animal (a mouse perhaps) the swede could never hope to hit or some large and dangerous animal (such as a bear) that wouldn't be brought down by a single arrow unless Berwald was a far better shot than he let on. The likelihood of him taking this seriously was slim.

"So all you want me to do is drive a deer or some other hapless animal towards wherever you are so that you can try shooting it."

"Ja, a deer will work. Or a boar, wolf or somethin'."

"Yes. Because I'm going to herd an animal that looks a lot like me towards you, that won't end badly at all."

.o.)O(.o. 

Despite his sarcasm over the whole thing Lukas still complied to the request, taking a moment to strip and switch between forms as Berwald balanced his bow and quiver on his back to scale a pine tree. The Norwegian couldn't help but smirk at how the man differed whilst climbing compared to himself and Matthias. The Dane could scramble up anything with finesse of a monkey, his fearless nature allowing him to show off. Lukas, whilst slightly more cautious, still managed to climb just as easily due to too many years scaling ropes on-board ships. Berwald however just looked out of place, he moved slowly and carefully among the branches, checking that wherever he placed his feet would hold his weight before moving on. By the time he seated him with his back against the tree's trunk and his legs straddling a thick branch Lukas was already on all fours and staring up at him with what could only be classified as a bored expression.

Hunting was one thing; not being allowed to take down what he chased was a whole different ball game.

He huffed when Berwald nodded, offering a short growl in warning before scenting the ground. He took the swede's chuckle to mean that he understood his warning despite the language barrier.

'Shoot me and I'll kill you.'

His concern over that possibility faded however as he allowed the various scent trails to wash over him, picking out what each one was with practiced ease.

Rabbit.

Deer.

Wild cat.

Fox.

His tail started to wave as he padded after the scents, ignoring the older ones or any that changed direction in such a way that it would bring him upwind of the target. It was a calming experience if he could say so himself, allowing him to ignore the hassles that came with a human form. He could forget that Matthias had ridden south towards the nearest town to pick up supplies and the likelihood of him buying something unnecessary. He could forget about how long this was going to take (it wasn't that he didn't have faith in Berwald's abilities... It was just that his eyesight would probably work against him).

His ears pricked as he picked up on the nearby scent of a wild boar, Lukas pausing as he tried to find more signs indicating its presence without giving his presence away. Standing still he could vaguely hear it snorting, snuffling as it dug up tubers and roots. His mouth watered as he focused on it, ears twitching to pin point the animal's location. He doubted Berwald would manage to hit it but if he did it could make a good meal.

He was silent as he crouched, stiffly stalking forwards before circling as he got close enough to hear the animal breathing. Chasing it from where he was was pointless, he had to drive it down-wind... The animal froze though as he came closer, snout twitching as it sought out danger. It was a large animal, a male in its prime with a pair of sharp tusks that would make most predators think twice about taking it on.

Not that Lukas cared though as he padded forward towards it, breaking into a steady lope when the boar squealed and mock charged him. Merely a bluff however seeing as how the minute the Norwegian snarled and leapt out the way before charging back in to snap at its haunches it twisted and bolted, Lukas' size and lack of fear affecting the boar's instincts of fight and flight. If the attacker couldn't be fought off it would be outrun.

Lukas yipped at the sight, giving chase eagerly as long legs carried him over branches and shrubbery that the boar passed through brute force alone. He was quick to keep the animal travelling back towards where Berwald was, using his own scent trail as a marker as he back tracked. It would have been easy to have ended this already but sadly he knew he couldn't. This prize was spoken for.

He gave a savage snarl as he grew closer to where Berwald was perched, wanting to give him warning in case the squealing of the boar wasn't enough. Apparently it was since his keen hearing caught the creak of a bow being drawn just as the boar suddenly switched direction again.

Lukas growled in frustration as he pushed himself to run faster, intending on getting in front of the animal to force it back within range. There was a soft thwack as the bow's drawstring was released and he had half a moment to be surprised that Berwald felt confident enough to shoot at the boar despite the animal darting away before white hot pain lanced his chest. His eyes widened in surprise at the sensation as he yelped, legs buckling beneath him.

He almost couldn't believe it but the arrow sunk deep into his chest said it all.

He swore to god he would kill the man… 

.o.)O(.o.

Berwald's eyesight may have been questionable but there was nothing wrong with his hearing. He knew from the second the yelp split the air and the blurred shape he'd shot at fell to the ground that that was no boar he'd hit. He'd been expecting a squeal and there was no way that sound came from any swine. That sound had been canine and the sound recognizable to even his human ears from countless times of hearing it.

Lukas was going to kill him…

He cursed, dropping the bow to the ground without a second thought as he jumped from where he had been perched. His joints protested the hard landing but he ignored it with little more than a wince as he darted over to where the dark furred wolf lay. Lukas growled at his approach, trying to push himself to his feet despite the blood seeping into his fur and the trickles coming from between his jaws as he coughed. To say he was pissed was understatement.

"Sorry, didn' mean ta hi' ya…" Berwald offered guiltily, trying to get close enough to examine the damage. It appeared that Lukas was having none of that however as the minute that the swede came within reach the wolf snarled, twisting like a reptile to sink his teeth as deeply into the man's arm as possible (without breaking it, a broken arm would help neither of them). He only released the savaged limb in order to cough again, lips pulling back at the taste of his own blood on his tongue.

As much as the wounds on his arm hurt Berwald did his best to ignore it, trying to focus more on the wounded wolf. He was pretty sure that coughing up blood was more worrisome than a few slashes… "Can ah ge' a look at ya now?" He questioned when Lukas ceased coughing and returned to growling though he supposed him not going for him again was a good sign.

The wolf bared his teeth for a moment before huffing and lowering his head with a small whine. Even if he wanted to stay angry he couldn't deny that having what boiled down to a stick jammed between his ribs hurt, every breath was painful. Once it was pulled out and he healed somewhat he'd get angry once more. He could at least get some comfort from knowing that the minute Matthias found out Berwald had shot him the swede would have his ass handed to him a second time.

That thought didn't stop him from yelping though when the arrow's shaft was touched, blood staining Berwald's fingertips as he examined where the weapon entered Lukas' body. He frowned though upon noticing that although the arrow was half imbedded in his chest it hadn't punctured the other side. There was going to be no easy way to remove it, no way to snap off the head and thus only have to pull the shaft free. He supposed the only good thing was that due to their rapid healing rate he probably wouldn't have to worry about the Norwegian bleeding to death. Probably.

"This is goin' ta hur'. Have ta pull it out." He explained as Lukas glared at him viciously and growled as though to tell him to get a move on with it. Berwald may have been strong but carrying a wounded wolf the weight of an average human would probably end badly, better to utilise their fast healing rate. Unlike a mortal he would be unlikely to die of such a wound.

Even if he wouldn't die though the pain he felt as Berwald gripped the shaft and pulled was immense, a pained howl leaving his jaws as the arrow head caught on already torn skin and tore it further. It left him whimpering even when the arrow was pried free from his flesh, the trickles of blood growing in volume as his lung filled with blood from the now open wound. He growled as the man knelt over him with the bloody arrow, red dripping from his fangs. "Ya okay?"

Lukas just glared, hacking slightly as he spat blood on the ground and tensed to change back. His wound itched like crazy which surprised him; normally the itch that came from healing took a while to kick in. It was as though his body was working at triple time to ensure he wouldn't die from his injury.

Fast healing or not though he still gasped as his shifting body tugged at the wound, almost collapsing when he was once more human. The taste of blood in his mouth was even worse in this form, making him want to gag. Though at the same time his chest burnt so fiercely that he was sure gagging would be painful enough to make him pass out. He hissed, pressing a hand against the still open wound on his chest to hold back the flow of blood.

"Lukas?"

The Norwegian ignored him for a moment, breathing raggedly before retching painfully. God, all he could taste was the iron tang of his own blood… He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth, skin smeared red where blood clung to it. He must have looked a sight, chest bloody and bearing a gaping wound, blood smeared across his mouth and hands…

"You're dead." He forced out, voice little more than a gasp. His thighs were shaking slightly from just holding himself semi-upright and he was sure had he been standing rather than kneeling he would have crumpled already. Even so he allowed his free hand to press into the ground again as extra support. Thank the gods for being a little more than mortal, any mortal man or animal would have died from such a wound. That arrow had to have punctured a lung and, considering he could feel his heart beating frantically beneath the hand pressed against the wound, barely missed his heart.

"Ah didn' mean ta hit ya…" Berwald mumbled, not sure what to do. On the one hand he was sure he should patch the man up but on the other the man was glaring at him so fiercely that even with his bloody skin he hardly looked like one would expect an injured man to look.

"I thought I warned-" He broke off, coughing violently as more blood was forced from his lungs. The coughing fit left him shaking, panting as he forced himself to stay crouched and not collapse despite how much he wanted to.

"Ah should get ya back ta the house…" Berwald murmured, reaching out to touch Lukas' shoulder.

"I don't need help." He gasped, jerking away from the touch.

"Lukas, ya look like ya can barely stand let alone walk."

Lukas just growled, fingers digging into the earth as he forced himself upright despite how much he swayed doing so. Black spots appeared in his vision as he grit his teeth, attempting to force his legs to hold him through sheer will power alone. He probably would have fallen had Berwald not been quick to support him.

"Take it easy… Ya did just get sho' and ya lost a fair bit of blood… Ah can get ya back." His words only made Lukas glare at him weakly even if he did rest his weight against the swede.

"Whose fault was that?"

Berwald didn't answer, choosing instead to duck down and grab Lukas' knees in a way that made him yelp and almost fall had he not gripped the Swede's neck. The Norwegian cursed loudly at the movement, the black dots growing in number as he was hoisted onto the man's back without warning. He was probably getting blood all over Berwald's clothes but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"What the hell are you doing?" He spat.

"What's it look like? Ya can't walk so ah'll carry ya back, leas' ah can do fer shootin' ya."

Lukas grumbled slightly but otherwise didn't complain, resting his chin on Berwald's shoulder with a sigh as he went limp. He supposed his pride could take a back seat for now… He'd get back at the man once he was stitched up… "What happened to the bow you got?" He mumbled, wincing with each step.

"Dropped it."

"Good. Get another one and I swear to god I'll kill you."

.o.)O(.o.

"At least you've kept that promise." Lukas smirked as Matthias laughed at Berwald's indignant face. "You never did buy another one."

"Gee, I wonder why… You, like, probably tag teamed him over it." Kaoru snorted.

It only made Matthias laugh even louder. "Only once, promise! He's still in one piece isn't he? I had to defend Lukas' honour!"

"Still need to get back at you for beating me to it…" Lukas growled though there wasn't any vindictiveness in his tone. He'd buried the hatchet regarding Berwald in that sense long ago.

"What could I do? You were passed out when I got back with a set of stitches keeping you from bleeding further. Someone had to do it!" The Dane grinned, kissing Lukas' forehead.

The Norwegian rolled his eyes. "You're an idiot…"

"Remind me not to get on their bad side! Though I'm sure I could take 'em!" Peter grinned, making Matthias raise an eyebrow.

"You wouldn't last a second against us kid!"

"Oh yeah? I bet I can!"

"Peter, behave…" Tino sighed, mentally preparing himself for the mom jokes. He was glad that Berwald hadn't intentionally hurt Lukas but he suspected the same couldn't be said in reverse. The Norwegian probably got his own revenge and Matthias would use any excuse for a fight. But like Matthias had said, Berwald was still in one piece. He found the fact that Lukas had forgiven the swede funny but then again, how many years had passed since then? They healed fast and although that scar still remained it would be foolish to hold a grudge over it. Not to mention that Lukas wasn't the kind for grudges (unless Emil was involved).

Perhaps it wasn't so surprising.

"Ja, they make a tough team…" Berwald grudging admitted to the child who pouted at not being allowed to prove himself. The Swede couldn't help but wonder just how bad it would be given time seeing as the boy was merely a preteen at the moment both physically and mentally but given a few years that would change (mentally at least).

Lukas offered a small smile at the compliment, before raising an eyebrow. "Berwald, care to go next? Maybe blame someone else for an injury for a change?"

**A/N2: Anyone expecting that one? Anyone at all? Because I had fun writing that! Don't mix bad eye-sight and ranged weapons when there is a chance of hitting your friend in the process!**

**Review replies:**

**Guest: Glad you think so :) Hope you enjoyed the update and thanks for the review!**

**Sara: Glad I could do so, gotta keep things interesting considering how many of these side stories I've developed! Thanks for the review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Do you have any idea how much research went into this chapter? Or how little information there is on when Norway implemented driving tests? Cause apparently different parts of Europe implemented them at different times between 1910 and the 1970s… So I went with the illegal route and moved on to figuring out logistics for such an injury. Before cursing inconsistencies and having to alter the ending. Story of my life.**

**Regardless enjoy the ridiculously long chapter (How the hell did I ever struggle to reach 500 words again? My first attempts at writing were pitiful!) with added insight into the pack structure and how they view one another. I'll be posting the Germania and Rome back story later as well which will also cover the early lives of Matthias, Antonio and Yao (though I'll do an Asian pack back story eventually as well) which will be called 'the lion and the wolf'.**

_There comes a time for all that marks the final straw  
When there is no recourse to the law  
If we tread the trails our odyssey unveils  
Victory is red in tooth and claw_

Everybody take your tyrant  
Make him pay for all his stay  
Revolution take your tyrant  
Bid him bleed for all his greed  


_Take your tyrant- Tyr_

The expression on Berwald's face changed slightly when everyone's attention turned on him, going from indignant to embarrassment only truly noticeable if you'd known him for a long time or well. Which sadly the majority of people gathered did… They also knew the exact reason why he suddenly looked a bit nervous. The Swede had never been one for conversation or public speaking, preferring to do the listening rather than the actual conversing. Yet here he was being told to share his own particular story while Lukas gave a slight smirk at his discomfort.

The man may have forgiven him but still held a grudge it would seem…

No-one else really seemed to care if speaking made him feel uncomfortable either, the only one who may have sided with him too curious to push for someone else to go next. It appeared he would have no choice but to tell his story of the worst injury one of them had given him though it was hard to decide which story to tell… He considered it as the others curiosity seemed to grow.

There was the time Matthias had slashed his chest open but neither of them liked thinking about that particular injury.

There was also the time Matthias had broken his arm whilst trying to get him to fool around in the snow (some things were best left to puppies, children and Danes who seemed incapable of growing up in Berwald's opinion) but that wasn't really interesting.

Hadn't Matthias also accidently stabbed him with a screw driver once as well because he had decided that throwing the requested tool was better than passing it?

Hell, it seemed like all of his worst injuries were induced by Matthias… No, Lukas had also once broken his arm whilst they'd been sparring with a pair of dull swords and Emil had almost drowned him when they'd gone fishing and the boat they were in developed a leak and started sinking. The Icelandic teen had never been taught to swim he'd learnt upon the younger suddenly clinging to him to try and stay afloat. That had soon been remedied once they'd both been dragged ashore, Emil being forced back into the water the very next day and every day after that until he learnt. The Dane was just responsible for more due to his carelessness and the length of time they'd known each other.

Sure a few of them stood out but he couldn't remember any truly notable ones…

He frowned as he met the man in question's grin, one particular episode coming to mind. He didn't bare any skin as Lukas had done as he sighed, no need to do so seeing as his wounds from that time had healed fairly quickly even if they had been serious and those that had remained as scars were pale and close to fading. His wounds, much like Lukas' wound, had been mainly internal. He glared at Matthias at the memory before finally speaking before any of his pack mates could push him.

"Matthias managed ta run me over." He growled.

.o.)O(.o.

1934- Bergen, Norway

It stood in the driveway like some god awful sculpture, neither Berwald nor Lukas able to tear their eyes away from the silver-gray monstrosity. Neither of them had wanted to get a car, both sure that it would be merely a fad and that any day now people would come to their senses and return to a trustworthy form of transport that both had clung to for centuries. Walking worked, horses worked, how could anything made of metal that ran off of oil ever do as well as such basic methods of transport? It went against nature.

So of course Matthias had bought one. And of course Emil didn't care if his lacking presence said anything. The Icelandic werewolf actually enjoyed new technology and sought it out.

Matthias was just an idiot.

An idiot who had bought home a Tatra 77 without alerting them.

How he'd believed it to be a good idea neither knew but to be fair the idea would have been quickly shot down had they been around to argue so perhaps buying it whilst Berwald and Lukas were away on their annual 'we need time away from Matthias before he ends up dead in a ditch somewhere and we have to come up with an alibi' hunting trip (also known as 'the blessed time I get away from the overbearing not-my-brother Norwegian even if it means babysitting an idiotic Dane for a week' courtesy of Emil) was a smart way to go about it, in regards to actually getting the monstrosity at least.

In regards to his well-being not so much.

Lukas sighed, glancing away from the car to meet Berwald's gaze. "Do you want to take this or should I?" He asked, already guessing the answer. It wasn't just Matthias who would need to be scolded after all; a certain Icelandic individual had allowed it to happen.

"Ya want ta handle Emil? Ah'll take Matthias." Berwald sighed, shifting the small bag on his shoulder slightly to a more comfortable position. They never did have much to take on these trips, merely a single change of clothes since they'd spend the entire time (or the majority at least) in lupine form but the bag was badly worn from years of use and the rope that served as a strap was digging into his shoulder. Even had they needed to shift back to human form on occasion they would be so far away from civilization that clothing became optional. It was nice to get so far away from the city, they were lucky enough that they currently lived on a sprawling property outside of town that was still pretty wild but it just didn't compare to the wilderness of the mountains and valleys that hadn't seen human hands for decades.

The Norwegian nodded at the offer, having no complaints with it. He may have been Matthias' mate but Berwald had known him longer and he felt a deeper bond with Emil than he believed the Swede did. Better to sort it out that way.

It didn't take long for Matthias to appear, the man having heard them and been unable to restrain himself from leaving the house to greet them. Emil was nowhere to be seen but that was hardly surprising seeing as he preferred his privacy. "What do you guys think? Gorgeous isn't it!" the Dane grinned, blinking in surprise when Lukas' only response was to growl at him and shove his way into the home.

"Emil Steilsson, what the hell were you thinking?" Lukas rarely shouted but when he did it was cause for concern. Berwald supposed that he'd explicitly told both Matthias and Emil (who saw nothing wrong with cars but had never had the money for one) that they were not getting a car. He couldn't blame him; it seemed like a waste of money. They'd been popular this long but the likelihood of the staying in fashion? It didn't sound likely to him.

Matthias frowned, looking over his shoulder in confusion at where the Norwegian had vanished into the depths of the large house. "What's wrong with him?"

"Ah don' know, maybe the fact that ya bough' a car while we were gone?" Berwald hinted, striding past to drop the bag over his shoulder in the hallway. "Ah though' we told ya it was a waste of time?"

Matthias just grinned shamelessly, obviously feeling no guilt whatsoever. "Ja, but you're wrong! Cars are the future Ber; do you know how fast that car in the driveway is meant to go? They made it so aerodynamic that it can reach over a hundred and fifty kilometres an hour! Try getting a horse to go that fast, I dare you!"

"Ya sound like one of those salesmen…" Berwald grumbled, looking frustrated with the Dane as he tried to ignore the argument happening upstairs where Emil had to be. He could hear both of their voices (both reverting to their first languages from frustration), both raised so it appeared that the younger male wasn't taking Lukas' disapproval lying down. "It's nothin' more than a chunk of metal Matthias, what use is that? People will come ta their senses over this in a few years."

"That's what you said about trains but now you can travel from one end of the country to the other in no time at all! Ya say the same thing about every new thing that pops up. And look, Norwegian became a separate language despite you saying it would never catch on! There are railways across the entire continent! We can send a message halfway across the world! Hell, we've even flown like birds! The world's evolving Ber and you and Lukas are being left behind!" Matthias smiled enthusiastically, sky blue eyes glittering with excitement at the thought of all the things humanity was dreaming up and achieving. Once upon a time such things had been fables and limited to the gods but now…

"Doesn' matter. What use is it if they do fail? How much money did ya put into gettin' it?"

"Relax Ber, it's worth it promise! Just think, we'll be able to drive across the country, hell, multiple countries! We won't have to rely on trains or horses when travelling long distance! It'll be fun! And the car only just arrived!"

"How much?"

"Okay, I may have emptied the joint account! But I swear I'll get the money back! The car's worth it, promise! And I bought some licences for all of us so we can all drive her!"

Her. He'd already nicknamed the bloody thing. He didn't even care about the fact the licences had been bought (hadn't they changed the rules around that years ago?) with that little thing out there.

They weren't getting rid of the car were they?

Berwald sighed, ignoring the triumphant grin he could see forming across the man's face. Matthias could see that he'd won… the arguing upstairs had also died down which meant that either Lukas and Emil had reached a compromise or they'd killed each other in the process. "What use is a license if none of us know how ta drive?"

The Dane didn't get a chance to respond, Lukas' voice ringing out from the stairwell as he descended followed by a frustrated Emil who merely nodded in greeting before glaring at the Norwegian. "The one who allowed him to buy the car will somehow teach him." He said, ignoring the Icelandic teen who glared at him.

Berwald raised an eyebrow at the teen, "Ya know how ta drive?"

"No I do not." Emil grumbled, arms crossed over his chest. "At best I know how to get the car started and maybe stop it. The rest is up to Matthias."

Matthias didn't look concerned by the fact; in fact he looked positively gleeful. Lukas looked frustrated, probably already calculating the damage that would be caused over the next few days.

Berwald sighed, turning around with every intent of getting out of there before Matthias even ended up behind the wheel of the car. "Good luck with tha'. Ah'll jus' go fer another run so ah'm not here when he backs inta the house or the firs' tree he sees."

"Hey! I'm not that bad! I bet I'll be brilliant at it!" Matthias complained, being ignored as swiftly as Lukas was when he muttered 'coward' under his breath. Berwald didn't care, all he could think of was every little thing the Dane had broken thus far and the potential chaos a car would cause.

.o.)O(.o.

In the end he wasn't gone for long, only able to go so far into the forest that bordered their property before he got bored of it. He'd just spent the last week like this and there was only so long that one could run around on four legs for before it lost its appeal. Regardless he kept it up for perhaps five minutes more before sighing and turning around to trot back to their house. He missed having opposable thumbs and there was much more he could do to distract himself from the train wreck that was Matthias learning to drive back in a human form.

He was quick to find one of the well-worn trails that ran through the woods, following the easier path thoughtlessly. He moved at a steady pace, leaving his paw prints to coat the travel worn path with the hoof prints of deer and spoor of smaller animals that roamed the forest and also made use of the trail. He wasn't even sure why he'd bothered leaving now that he thought about it, in the history of stunts Matthias had pulled this ranked very low on the list. Perhaps it was merely being away from him for a week that had made it seem more stressful to deal with.

And it was probably all over by now anyway, almost an hour had passed since he'd run out so Matthias probably already had the basics covered or was being scolded for not succeeding in doing so. One of the two at least…

Berwald sighed once more, ears twitching for any clues as to what was going on as he slowly drew closer to the end of the trail and the forest thinned drastically around him. The trail ended close to the lower portion of their property but he didn't mind so much, not enough people living nearby to concern himself with skirting the open land as he padded up the drive. He could vaguely hear Emil's voice and the growl of an engine but he paid it no heed, looking instead for any signs of damage.

The lack of it surprised him, making him blink as he strained his ears further before ignoring the noises of Emil shouting and the car suddenly roaring to life like a beast out for vengeance. Perhaps it was something he should have paid attention too but it still took him several long moments to connect the sounds to what was happening. He'd never had to worry about cars before, the driveway simply being an easier walking route from the road to the house so he didn't consider what he was in the path of until the roaring picked up in volume.

He froze like a deer in the headlights as he glanced up, straight into the back of the fast approaching vehicle, surprise holding him in place. He vaguely heard Emil shouting again, unsure of whether it was directed at him or at Matthias as his body finally caught up with brain and tensed to try and get out of the path of the oncoming vehicle.

Time slowed down, muscles becoming taut too slowly in comparison to the speed the vehicle was travelling at. Just another second, that was all he needed. Another second to unless the energy in his limbs and leap out of the way…

He yelped as the vehicle struck him just as he twisted to leap free, claws scrabbling at the smooth metal as he was forced over the top of the car. His body was protesting fiercely as the vehicle proved stronger than he was and knocked him flying, drawing more yelps from him as he struck the ground hard and tumbled several feet. He vaguely heard the car screech to a halt as he whined, heart racing as he raised his head from the ground.

It felt like he'd been charged by a full grown musk ox…

"Shit! Ber, are ya alright?!"

"Damn it Matthias! I told you to watch where you were going!"

"I tried to brake! I hit the wrong pedal!"

"Can ya change back? We need to get you inside." Lukas seemed to be the only calm person, though even he sounded concerned as he crouched to lay a hand on Berwald's neck. He'd come out upon hearing the commotion and it didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened, one look at the wolf sprawled out by the driveway and the massive dent in the car (some blood laced the silver he noticed, making a note of it to add to the wolf's probable injuries) was enough.

Berwald whined again, pausing to pant heavily but shakily nod. Lukas knew the man could handle a lot but he wouldn't be surprised if an injury of this nature caused him to go into shock. This was far more than injuries sustained in a fight when such things where expected… It was hard to tell with all of the Swede's fur in the way but chances were he'd taken a massive beating, as it was he didn't like the way his foreleg was positioned. The Norwegian waited until he could feel heat pouring off of the wolf before turning to the pair that was still arguing about whether or not Matthias was at fault.

"Both of you, enough! We need to get him inside." He ordered over the cracking of shifting limbs and pained gasps as he stood once more.

"Is it safe to move him?" Emil frowned, guiltily ceasing the argument. Even Matthias backed down quickly, scratching his head sheepishly as he glanced at Berwald. It was taking him longer to turn back than normal and the usually silent man's gasps and whine sent guilt rushing through him.

"If he were human I wouldn't but I don't think we have a choice. He should be fine…" Lukas mused, running through the risks in his head before sighing. "Emil, run inside and grab the first aid kit, just put it in the lounge for now. Matthias and I will get him inside."

The Icelandic teen nodded stiffly, darting off without questioning him. Matthias looked worried however. "Lukas, I didn't mean to hit him I swear! I-"

"Enough Matthias. We'll get to that later; now give me a hand getting him inside." The Norwegian interrupted, ducking down when Berwald finally finished shifting and collapsed. He was breathing heavily and raggedly and now that there was no fur in the way Lukas cursed as he saw the bad shape his pack mate was in. As he'd suspected his arm and shoulder looked positively mangled from taking the brunt of the hit but that was far from the worst of it.

Blood laced his skin around his hip where some of the metal had dug into his already wounded flesh. His eyes were still open but seemed distant in their gaze, a strange sight on the former Viking. Lukas wouldn't lie, he looked a sight.

The Dane nodded, murmuring apologies as he gently slipped an arm under Berwald's arm (the one that didn't look so mangled despite it taking a bit more maneuvering to achieve) and heard the man groan. It was obvious that the Swede would be no help in moving himself, barely resisting Matthias as he was half lifted. Lukas forced out an apology as he saw the Dane struggling, helping by supporting Berwald's legs whilst trying to avoid aggravating his hip that was already oozing blood at the movement. It was too much to expect Matthias to be able to maneuver the man without hurting him further alone; Berwald was the largest and heaviest of them after all and had several kilos on the Dane.

How they managed to get him inside Lukas didn't know, but somehow they managed to circumnavigate the four steps into the house and get into the lounge without

A. dropping the Swede

B. knocking him or themselves into a wall

C. getting more than blood on the floor than necessary (few drops here and there were workable)

Of course there was no way to put him down on the sheet (Emil had thought it might be better than just the bare ground) that had been laid out without hurting him but all things considered it had gone off as well as they could hope.

Until Lukas finally got a better look at the man, more specifically the dark patch that was starting to form along his stomach just below his ribs. Taut skin was growing tauter from the minor swelling around the discolouration and it made the Norwegian growl in frustration. Internal bleeding. This was going to take more than just a first aid kit to fix…

Of course, there was a good chance that the internal damage was already fixing itself much like how it had done when he'd been similarly injured (one didn't forget getting shot in a hurry) but there was nowhere for that blood to go… And getting a better look at his arm there was also no way he could bind that to help it heal right, the bone had been positively shattered!

He was going to need a proper doctor to look at him.

First thing's first though he had to drain that blood or at least give it somewhere to go to hide the fact that the internal wound there would be non-existent by the time it was examined. His expression turned to steel as he ran his fingers over the tools in the first aid kit, trying to find something up to the task. There wasn't much more than a pair of scissors but he supposed that those would have to do. His hands closed on them, Emil and Matthias' eyes going wide at the sight but he paid them no heed, keeping his gaze on Berwald's distant blue-green gaze. "This will hurt but bear with me okay? We can't take you in with internal bleeding but no wound." He breathed, waiting for the stiff nod the man gave before pressing the sharp edge of the scissors against bare skin.

He hated it, the gasp of pain as the metal dug into yielding flesh and muscle, the way blood spurted to coat his fingers in red. But it was also necessary so grit his teeth as he tore through skin and muscle as he would a fallen deer, trying to forget that it wasn't a deer or rabbit but a man he considered his kin until the wound he'd left was deep enough to take some time to heal.

He hadn't even realised that he'd started panting, the mental strain of cutting into and causing harm to one he was close to actually painful for him. Berwald was also panting though from physical pain rather than mental, had he been human he probably would have passed out by this point. Lukas swallowed thickly, setting down the scissors he still held in his blood soaked hand before forcing a calm look onto his face to meet the horrified faces of his two other pack mates. "We need to get him to a hospital. I can't fix the damage he's got."

"Ya can't?" God Matthias looked guilt stricken at the thought. They hardly ever received wounds that they couldn't patch up for themselves.

"But what if they realise there's something off with him?"

"I can't fix shattered bones Matthias; he needs a professional to look after him." Lukas explained, running his hands across his pants to try and get the blood off. "And they won't Emil. Once they've patched him up we can break him out of there and move on to the next place."

But how to get him to the nearest hospital? If they took too long his wounds would start showing signs of healing… They couldn't carry him and hitching up a horse to a cart would take too long (not to mention be tough to navigate). Lukas could only see one option. "Matthias. Get the car started. Emil and I will get him into the car."

There was no way out of it, after all, Matthias had claimed the car was fast (if his voice drifting up the stairwell was anything to go by) and that was what they needed. No-one else seemed to be following his train of thought however, all gaping at him.

"Ya wan' ta let him back inta a car?" Berwald forced out between pants, immediately regretting his decision to speak as it made him cringe.

Lukas didn't wait for anyone else to protest, scowling as he realised that no-one was actually following his directions. "We need to get to the hospital quickly don't we? Otherwise you will either bleed out or heal too much to be explained away." He explained, glancing pointedly at Matthias as though to question what he was doing standing around. The Dane nodded after a moment, darting out without a word as Lukas turned back to the Swede. "We're going to use the sheet to lift you up, it'll be easier." He explained, considering the options.

He and Emil could have done as Matthias had first done but to be fair Matthias had a lot more muscle on him than Emil or even Lukas did and he wasn't sure they could manage without hurting him. At least like this they'd have a better chance of getting him out the house. Emil nodded at the explanation, moving silently to grab the other end of the sheet.

Times like this he questioned how it was Matthias who led and not Lukas. When it came to a crisis the Norwegian handled things far better. But then again, if he looked closely at the man as he warned Berwald that if he went and bleed out on them he'd kill him he could see definite traces of concern and even fear hidden in his otherwise blank eyes.

That explained why he never pushed for control. As well as he handled things he didn't want to be in the position where the ones he cared about could be hurt. Didn't want to regret a call that could never be changed. That was where Matthias was stronger, not just physically but in his ability to make hard decisions like that. Matthias could handle doubt and regret far better than his mate. Berwald was far better suited to channelling away any of the Dane's wilder impulses. Lukas didn't need position within the pack for those reasons, he wasn't the decision maker nor the sense of reason, he was the control they needed, the one who never lost his cool no matter what they encountered.

The control that was definitely worried about his decisions and whether or not they would ultimately hurt them. Emil sighed, gripping the sheet tightly between his fingers as he strained to lift Berwald's weight even with Lukas' assistance. "You made the right decision... Brother." He forced out, hating the sound of the word on his tongue. He'd never liked giving in to Lukas' requests (aka demands) about the name since he hated how it reminded him of the age differences between them all (both physically and in reality, Lukas at least had surpassed his teenage years before being turned but he'd been caught as a teen and would never be older than that) but he looked like he needed it.

Lukas' eyes widened slightly at the name, not used to Emil using it. A smile pulled at the corners of his lips however, understanding the reason for it. You could say what you wanted about the Icelandic teen but when he wanted to he could show a side of him that was definitely caring. He nodded rather than voicing his gratitude, neither of them were big speakers so he knew that that would be enough.

He was glad that someone was sure he was doing the right thing, letting that soothe his doubt as he heard the rumble of the car's engine (a bit jerky however, what the hell was Matthias doing in there?) and sighed. "Let's get this over with." He forced out, glancing first at Berwald and then at Emil. "Emil, take the front seat, you know more about those monstrosities than I do so maybe you can keep that idiot from hitting anything else." 

.o.)O(.o. 

"That was one of the mos' hellish rides ah have ever experienced." Berwald grumbled with a small glare at Matthias who merely shrugged.

"Hey! I only stalled twice thank you very much! And it was my first time so give me a break; I got you to the hospital eventually didn't I? And I didn't drop you like Emil did." The Dane stated, chuckling as the Icelandic teen flushed.

"Not my fault Ber weighs half a ton!" He protested as several more chuckles joined in.

"Yet I never had a problem." Lukas smirked.

Emil glared at him, growling when Kaoru jabbed his shoulder teasingly. "Maybe you need to work out more."

"Shut up! He's used to more manual labour than I am! Not to mention that keeping Matthias in check keeps him in shape! I'm probably stronger than Tino at least..." He huffed.

Tino laughed sheepishly, glancing at Berwald who also chuckled. "Tino can lift me up..."

"What?!"

The Finn scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm stronger than I look?" It wasn't that he intentionally tried to be like that, it was just something that happened. Actually controlling his strength... That was something else entirely, if 'doesn't know his own strength' was personified it would probably look a hell of a lot like Tino.

Emil growled in frustration. "I hate you all."

"I'm sorry! I didn't ask to be strong!"

Berwald coughed, gently squeezing his mate's hand to calm him down as Kaoru stifled laughs, peter attempting to convince Emil to have an arm wrestling match to prove he was stronger than him too (unlikely since it wasn't that Emil was weak, merely lazy when it came to exercise). "Anyway, we eventually got ta the hospital where they knocked me out ta fix me up."

"Whilst questioning your nudity and the massive dent in Matthias's car." Lukas chuckled.

"Ja, that as well. We probably created some stories fer them ta tell... That coupled with the fact ah woke up three times while they were workin' on me." Tino cringed at the idea, not sure he would be able to cope with waking up in the middle of surgery. Coming to only to see your skin and flesh laid open? Hell no. "Probably didn't help that ah was gone by the nex' mornin'. Matthias, Lukas and Emil all broke in after dark ta get me out of there."

"We couldn't get there any earlier sadly, had to send all our stuff on ahead since we were going to have to run all over again. At least Lukas let me keep the car!" Matthias grinned.

"It came in handy I'll admit. Once we organised proper lessons for us all at least." The Norwegian admitted with a shrug.

"And they didn't go out of fashion like you said they would!"

"Don't push it. I've already agreed with you enough for one day."

Tino chuckled at the exchange, amused by how different times had been. He'd never considered cars to be strange so hearing about their introduction was an interesting experience. Kaoru seemed to think so as well.

"At least you got a car not long after they came out; Yao was like, so stubborn about it! We only got a car in the 80's because of him!" He grumbled before sighing. "At least he didn't try to coax us out of it like he did with fireworks... Cause that was painful."

Everyone bar Emil blinked in surprise at his words, curiosity taking hold. Only the Icelandic teen had any hint of what Kaoru spoke of, having heard the story already. Matthias grinned after a moment or two though, clapping his hands together. "Guess we've got our next story teller then! C'mon, spill!"

**A/N2: So up next is Kaoru and a look into the lives of a different pack altogether! The Tatra 77 was an actual car at the time and it was one of the most aerodynamic of the time period. If Matthias is going to go against everyone, he'll do it as massively as possible :)**

**Review replies:**

**Keiron: Nice to see you again :) Glad you enjoyed it and I hope you carry on enjoying Every Dog! Thanks for the review!**

**Sara: I'll extend the lion and the wolf for you since you want a bit of Matthias's back story with Aldrich, I was previously just going to make it a one shot but it has a lot of potential for your request as well :) When Berwald was turned was covered partially in Breaking Gleipnir if you're interested as well :) Thanks for the review!**


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